Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Do all things without murmuring and arguing, so that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine like stars in the world. It is by your holding fast to the word of life that I can boast on the day of Christ that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. But even if I am being poured out as a libation over the sacrifice and the offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you— and in the same way you also must be glad and rejoice with me. (Philippians 2:12-18, NRSV)
I admit I have always had issue with this verse. Mostly it is because my mind shuts off after I read the line and I am trying to process the line, “Work out your own salvation, with fear and trembling…”
What!?!?!?!?!
I thought grace was a gift and Jesus worked out my salvation for me on the cross and now here Paul is telling me that I have to work out my own salvation and not only that I have to do it in fear while I am trembling, probably from said fear.
But when we shut off our minds and try to process that statement we miss the rest of what Paul is saying. You see he continues, “for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” God is working in us, and therefore it is not really us working out our salvation, but it is God working in us to bring about the change He wants in us.
Then Paul continues even further and tells us not to quarrel, or bicker, or have any dissension among us because that will draw attention away from God and on to us.
You see it is God working in us and that is what needs to be showcased.
aSacredRebel 